Where exactly were you when J.F.K. was assassinated?

[senior citizen]

Where exactly were you when J.F.K. was assassinated?

I still remember as if it were yesterday.

I was standing at the corner of Broad and Market Streets in Newark, New Jersey waiting for a bus. I had a half day off from my job as secretary at Continental Insurance Company.

People starting buzzing. I think the bus stop was in front of a Nedick's Hot Dog place......so someone must have had a t.v. or radio on.

Everyone began telling each other that J.F.K. had been shot........

The rest is history. That night my "boyfriend", later to be husband, and I took a ride into Manhattan where all the lights were out......
On our car radio, funereal type music was playing. It was all very somber.

Days later.........my mom and I had the t.v. on and witnessed LIVE Jack Ruby shooting Lee Harvy Oswald as he was being walked through the crowd.

[asianthree]

at school sent home and stayed there until my father came home from work (which he never did) and we watched tv for until the funeral end. It was the first and last time we were allowed to watch TV except on Sunday when Walt Disney was on

[LI SNOWBIRD]

I was in 7th grade and in gym class. I remember the gym teacher telling us while we we were showering/changing. I also remember having a national day of mourning and watching the funeral cortege--so sad

[mfp509]

I was a high school sophomore coming out of homeroom to go home at the end of the day. A teacher came rushing down the hall from the teachers room saying that the President had been shot. Went home and watched everything unfold on TV. Remember watching the funeral and crying.

[Ecuadog]

I was walking across the quad at college.

[eweissenbach]

Where exactly were you when J.F.K. was assassinated?

I still remember as if it were yesterday.

I was standing at the corner of Broad and Market Streets in Newark, New Jersey waiting for a bus. I had a half day off from my job as secretary at Continental Insurance Company.

People starting buzzing. I think the bus stop was in front of a Nedick's Hot Dog place......so someone must have had a t.v. or radio on.

Everyone began telling each other that J.F.K. had been shot........

The rest is history. That night my "boyfriend", later to be husband, and I took a ride into Manhattan where all the lights were out......
On our car radio, funereal type music was playing. It was all very somber.

Days later.........my mom and I had the t.v. on and witnessed LIVE Jack Ruby shooting Lee Harvy Oswald as he was being walked through the crowd.

I was a freshman at the University of Missouri, and had just come from class and walked into the cafeteria. The word was being spread that the President had been shot and I immediately ran to my dorm room and turned on the radio. I skipped church on Sunday and I too watched the Oswald shooting live.

[ducati1974]

You're all making me feel very young! I was in first grade and as I recall (could be wrong!) they sent us home early from school. Our family spent the rest of the day glued to the TV.

[Taltarzac725]

JFK'S ASSASSINATION: THE DAY AFTER (11/23/63)(CBS-TV FOOTAGE)(PART 1) - YouTube (http://youtu.be/ZolFd83mI_o)

I was 3 so I cannot really say I remember much of it. And I was born while my mother had some kind of flu, so I had a lot of developmental problems. Not autism per se.

[2BNTV]

I was on the subway home when he was shot as I walked into my father's place of business and he informed Kennedy was shot. He was a great kidder so I said, "that's not funny". He said he was serious. We lived above our store and I went upstairs and turned on the televivsion and they announced that he was pronounced dead at 1:00 PM, CST. I believe this was on Friday, November 22.

We were having Sunday dinner and our neighbor interrupted our dinner to inform us that Owswald had been shot by Jack Ruby.

[stuckinparadise]

Growing up in a rural area of Wisconsin, I attended school in a one-room schoolhouse with students from 1st through 8th grade. I was in the 2nd grade and I remember our teacher crying in front of all of us saying, "the President was shot." We were dismissed from class and went to our respective homes where we watched the television for hours. Being so young, it was hard for me to realize what a tragedy this was for our wonderful nation. My parents sat us down and explained what happened. My little heart went out for the Kennedy family and our country.

[Taltarzac725]

I was on the subway home when he was shot as I walked into my father's place of business and he informed Kennedy was shot. He was a great kidder so I said, "that's not funny". He said he was serious. We lived above our store and I went upstairs and turned on the televivsion and they announced that he was pronounced dead at 1:00 PM, CST. I believe this was on Friday, November 22.

We were having Sunday dinner and our neighbor interrupted our dinner to inform us that Owswald had been shot by Jack Ruby.

Right Friday, November 22, 1963 at 12:30 P.M. was when JFK was shot.

[Mikiem]

Where exactly were you when J.F.K. was assassinated?

I still remember as if it were yesterday.

I was standing at the corner of Broad and Market Streets in Newark, New Jersey waiting for a bus. I had a half day off from my job as secretary at Continental Insurance Company.

People starting buzzing. I think the bus stop was in front of a Nedick's Hot Dog place......so someone must have had a t.v. or radio on.

Everyone began telling each other that J.F.K. had been shot........

The rest is history. That night my "boyfriend", later to be husband, and I took a ride into Manhattan where all the lights were out......
On our car radio, funereal type music was playing. It was all very somber.

Days later.........my mom and I had the t.v. on and witnessed LIVE Jack Ruby shooting Lee Harvy Oswald as he was being walked through the crowd.

I was at school. Blessed Trinity grammer school on Leroy Ave. in Buffalo N.Y. I was 8 yrs old.

[alemorkam]

French Class, room 25, 9th Grade, Nauset Regiional High School, teacher informed us Kennedy had been shot.

[manaboutown]

I was walking back to the fraternity house after a class in college. Two girls were coming the other way on the path. They were crying. I asked them why and they told me the news. I proceeded on and watched events unfold on TV. I, too, saw Ruby shoot Oswald in real time.

[Deb01]

I was 4 tears old. In San Diego at my grandmother's funeral

[cab1948]

Mr Knowlson's history class..my senior year....the principal came on the loudspeaker and told everyone the President had been shot. School was dismissed and went home. My family and I then watched TV for the next few days....I don't think any other event, except for 9-11 matches the sorrow that was felt.

[John_W]

I was in 7th grade and in gym class. I remember the gym teacher telling us while we we were showering/changing. I also remember having a national day of mourning and watching the funeral cortege--so sad

I had a somewhat similar story. I had just finished 8th grade gym at Southside Jr. High in St. Petersburg, Florida and was in the locker-room when the coach told us the President had been shot in a school building in Dallas but was still alive. I guess in the beginning the news spread by word of mouth and wasn't always clear. We finished the school day and I went home thinking he was still alive.

I remember watching TV the following Saturday and seeing Lee Harvey Oswald shot as it happened. My dad was hitting golf balls at a nearby park and I rode my bike over to find him and tell him what I just saw.

[kathy and al]

I was at my first part-time job at a company across the street from the Ford Edsel plant in Somerville, Ma. It was "eerie" when the announcement was made.
I still hold on to newspapers from Boston (Globe and Herald,etc.) along with magazines (Time, Newsweek, etc.) that had incredible bold print for front page and front cover news and it is amazing to see these publications from 50 years ago. Hope I can preserve them for a while longer!!

[Tom Hannon]

Field trip ninth grade. The bus driver was too shook up to drive us back. I also witnessed Jack Ruby taking out Oswald. Hopefully, someday the truth will come out about what went down and who was responsible. Was Oswald a scape goat. Was Lyndon Johnson part of the conspiracy. The CIA. The Mob.

[mac9]

Ironically, I was in Mrs. Yepson's history class in my senior year of high school. Didn't see any tv about it as we didn't have a tv (mother thought that it was from the devil).

[Cedwards38]

7th grade Science class. The principal came to the classroom and called the teacher out into the hall to tell her. She came in and told us. I don't think anything has ever stunned me more. The feeling of profound loss, and hurt for our country was deep.

[jblum315]

My boss had taken me out to lunch and we'd both had 2 martinis. So when I walked into the office and some woman said "The President was shot," I was befuddled for a moment and thought she was joking. They sent us home early and on the subway a lot of people had portable radios on. Then we were glued to the TV for days. So sad.

[BarryRX]

I was a sophomore at Herricks High School in Mr. Goldenberger's chemistry class. I remember he was called into the hallway and came back in pale and very shook up.

[gwscott]

I was in a chow line in California (Army) He was my Commander In Chief We were put on hight alert and we were all stunned.

[shcisamax]

Oddly enough, I was onstage rehearsing for a play about Lincoln and had just said the line, "The President has been shot." Someone came running down the aisle yelling the president has been shot and it was really confusing why this person was reiterating my line.

[2BNTV]

Oddly enough, I was onstage rehearsing for a play about Lincoln and had just said the line, "The President has been shot." Someone came running down the aisle yelling the president has been shot and it was really confusing why this person was reiterating my line.

WOW - That is some coincidence.

You should win a trophy for that post. :smiley:

[Jaggy]

Elementary School. they announced it over the loudspeaker.. we went home.. i can remember coming in the house and my Mother , who had a bad back ,was laying on the floor ( it helped her back) and was watching TV and crying.. I remember being scared and glued to the TV for days.. saw Jack Ruby episode live !!

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

I was in music class in the 7th grade. The principal came into the room and whispers to the music teacher who immediately stood up and said, "Our president has been assassinated". Being in the 7th grade, I didn't know what the word assassinated meant, but by his tone I could tell that it wasn't good. Within a few minutes everyone knew what it meant.
We went on with our classes the rest of the day. Many of the kids were upset because we had somehow heard that other schools were dismissing their students.
I did witness Oswald's killing live on television the next day.

Many years ago, I was working as a bartender and I asked a young man for his ID. His birthday was Nov 22, 1963. I asked him if he knew the significance of that and he told me that his mother was in the process of giving birth at the time of the assassination. So even though he doesn't remember, he knows exactly where he was at the time.

[Mikeod]

Freshman year of college. We had just started class when the professor was called out of the room. He returned after a couple of minutes and told us the news and cancelled class. We walked back to the dorms completely stunned. We also watched on Sunday when Ruby shot Oswald. How that period of time stands out in many peoples' memories.

[faithfulfrank]

I was in Kindergarten. It was confusing seeing grown ups and teachers cry.

Frank

[JC and John]

Where exactly were you when J.F.K. was assassinated?

I still remember as if it were yesterday.

I was standing at the corner of Broad and Market Streets in Newark, New Jersey waiting for a bus. I had a half day off from my job as secretary at Continental Insurance Company.

People starting buzzing. I think the bus stop was in front of a Nedick's Hot Dog place......so someone must have had a t.v. or radio on.

Everyone began telling each other that J.F.K. had been shot........

The rest is history. That night my "boyfriend", later to be husband, and I took a ride into Manhattan where all the lights were out......
On our car radio, funereal type music was playing. It was all very somber.

Days later.........my mom and I had the t.v. on and witnessed LIVE Jack Ruby shooting Lee Harvy Oswald as he was being walked through the crowd.

7th grade study hall. We were told over the loudspeaker. Don't remember much else except watching the funeral on TV.

[DaleMN]

A senior at New Richmond (WI) High School in Social Studies class. The announcement came over the intercom.

[villages07]

9 years old, 4th grade. We were sent home early. We lived very close to Andrews AFB, outside Washington DC, and I remember the Marine choppers flying over our house later that day ostensibly bringing President Johnson to the White House.

Saw the Ruby/Oswald shooting on live TV.

[aussiemom]

Front row seat in Mrs. Inzirella's history class, 7th grade, Washington School, Kearny, NJ. She was crying and told the class. Soon after we were all sent home.

[graciegirl]

Our little daughter was nine months old and she had just taken her first steps that morning. We had been too young to vote for John Kennedy. Age was 21 back then. I had so admired that beautiful young family. So disappointed later when I learned he had cheated on his wife.

[rhood]

Fort Dix, NJ, undergoing Army basic training. The base was put on alert.

[CraigAC]

I'll never forget that day -- probably one of my earliest memories. I was in second grade and the school Principle came on the intercom system, gave us the bad news and dismissed us. My house was right behind the school grounds so I ran home and my mother was already watching the news. Walter Cronkite was just making the announcement, and I think he was starting to cry.

This thread has made me a little curious -- think I'll go on uTube to see if the Cronkite announcement has been captured -- I'm sure it's somewhere on the Internet.

[kittygilchrist]

great topic. i realized i was truly aging when i asked that of someone who had not yet been born!
I was at a high school pep rally tootling on my clarinet.

[redwitch]

High school physics class. It was announced over the loudspeaker. Mr. Hirsch took a deep breath, stated he was sure the President would be fine and the class should settle down and he proceeded to continue to teach. I don't think any of us heard a word he said. When it was later announced by loudspeaker that President Kennedy was dead during my lunch period and we should all go home, few of us left. We all stood around in shock, holding each other and crying. It truly ended an era of innocence.

[manaboutown]

Oddly enough, I was onstage rehearsing for a play about Lincoln and had just said the line, "The President has been shot." Someone came running down the aisle yelling the president has been shot and it was really confusing why this person was reiterating my line.

This has got to be the most ironic moment of your life!

[LynnDeb]

I was in 5th grade, when we were told at school, the school had us go home early that day, I remember walking with my friends and we all were crying

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Was at school at the time and remember everybody gathering around the flag pole outside for a sort of make-shift memorial ceremony. All of the teachers were very upset.

I then remember our family visiting at my aunt and uncle's house a couple of days later. We were all watching TV when Oswald was shot.

Really unnerving events!

Bill :)

[krys]

I was a high school senior (Chamberlain High School, Tampa, Florida) in Mr. Little's technical drafting class. The 'class' for seniors was really 3 afternoon classes, all taught by Mr. Little, that included technical drafting, technical math and technical writing. Since all of us had spent our junior year together learning 'basic' drafting and would now spend our senior year together, Mr. Little allowed us to listen to the radio. I remember I was leaning over a drafting table thinking about what present/s might be waiting when I got home, because it was my 17th birthday, when the music on the radio stopped and the announcer said the president had been shot.

[Taltarzac725]

I was a high school senior (Chamberlain High School, Tampa, Florida) in Mr. Little's technical drafting class. The 'class' for seniors was really 3 afternoon classes, all taught by Mr. Little, that included technical drafting, technical math and technical writing. Since all of us had spent our junior year together learning 'basic' drafting and would now spend our senior year together, Mr. Little allowed us to listen to the radio. I remember I was leaning over a drafting table thinking about what present/s might be waiting when I got home, because it was my 17th birthday, when the music on the radio stopped and the announcer said the president had been shot.

Sorry to hear that you have November 22 as a birthday. I had a similar experience with a very well known murder in Reno, Nevada occurring on my birthday of February 24 in 1976. That of my then high school English teacher's daughter Michelle Mitchell. I thought it was a sick joke when the other students told me why we were having a substitute teacher in place of Mrs. Mitchell. Believe all the students of Mrs. Mitchell and her husband who taught English at a different Reno High School looked at life quite differently over the three years it took the police to solve Michelle's murder. This murder was in the press in Northern Nevada for about a decade as it went through the various phases of commitment, investigation, solution, arrest, trial, appeal, etc.

[keithwand]

In 3rd grade cleaning the black boards with a friend in detention for talking in class.
Some things never change.

[Cantwaittoarrive]

I had just turned two at the time so I don't remember. I do remember being in the shower when my dad came in and said Bobby had been shot

[Lark7]

In Miss Watson's English Lit class - the principal announced the event over the PA. Everyone was numb.

[TNT]

I was on a second grade field trip to the Laub's Bakery in Cleveland Ohio

[Yorio]

I was in Okinawa going to the Stars and Stripes office from a hotel in Naha. As I caught a taxi, the driver told me that JFK was dead. I shook hand with him at the University of Illinois rally before he became president. There was a big talk that if JFK became president, Pope will run the U.S. Did you believe it? Many did.

[graciegirl]

I was in Okinawa going to the Stars and Stripes office from a hotel in Naha. As I caught a taxi, the driver told me that JFK was dead. I shook hand with him at the University of Illinois rally before he became president. There was a big talk that if JFK became president, Pope will run the U.S. Did you believe it? Many did.

I remember that. I had a pin that said if I were 21 I'd vote for Kennedy.

I have voted for both parties over time.

[chuckinca]

Having lunch in the Merchandise Mart in downtown Chicago where I was working.

.

[TerpDawg]

Asleep in the US Navy Facility barracks in Argentia, Newfoundland, waiting for the evening operations shift. We went on beefed up two-shift days for a short time while the powers-that-were determined the assassination was not part of an international conspiracy. More than a few hardened sailors shed some tears that day.

[raynan]

I was in 8th grade and the speaker system came on scrambling radio stations and we thought the Mother Superior had mistakenly opened her mike and we were giggling and then the radio announced the President had been shot....we were told to gather our belongings and we would all go over to the church to say a prayer and then we were dismissed. I walked to the bus stop (which I never did because I normally walked home with friends) and everyone on the bus was crying. Then I got scared and ran home after my bus stop. My mom & dad & I were glued to the tv for days, saw Oswald shot live and then the funeral. So sad. I will never forget!
Nancy

[senior citizen]

I had just turned two at the time so I don't remember. I do remember being in the shower when my dad came in and said Bobby had been shot

When Bobby Kennedy was shot in 1968, I was at home with our two month old daughter who had been born 3 days after Martin Luther King was shot.

What an April and June of 1968.

I watched the "funeral train" for Bobby, etc., etc. while my husband was doing his summer training* at Fort Knox, Kentucky.......we were still living in Middlesex County New Jersey at the time, in our first bought home.

*He was a drill sargeant in a tank division. Actually, while I was still in the hospital in 1968, having just delivered our first child, we were listening to the radio of all the Army reservists being called up for Viet Nam. The furthest he went was Kentucky or the Kearny, N.J. shipyards to train others.

Each "assassination" just brings back other memories of those years.

[senior citizen]

I was in Okinawa going to the Stars and Stripes office from a hotel in Naha. As I caught a taxi, the driver told me that JFK was dead. I shook hand with him at the University of Illinois rally before he became president. There was a big talk that if JFK became president, Pope will run the U.S. Did you believe it? Many did.


Like Gracie, we have voted for both parties over time......

However, the city we came from in New Jersey was definitely IN LOVE with J.F.K., Jackie and all the Kennedy clan.......back in the early '60s.
We knew no different..............

It wasn't until my husband enlisted in the Army Reserves and was sent for basic training to Fort Knox, Kentucky (where he subsequently went every summer as a drill sargeant in the tanks division) that it dawned upon him that people from other parts of our nation WERE NOT in favor of the Kennedy family at all.............just the opposite. At age 18, it was his first time out of his neighborhood, so to speak.

We both graduated high school at a young 17, having skipped a grade.
Met at our high school senior picnic.......engaged at 19, married at 20, children at 22 and 25.......seems like a long time ago now.

However, those days are not only etched in HISTORY, but in our minds.
All of the assassinations...........

[CaptJohn]

I was in Miss Pasco's 10th grade algebra class at Pensacola High. They announced it on the PA system.

[petco882]

I was in England at the time. It was my birthday and I was going out for dinner with my family. When we got to the restaurant everyone was talking about it and the entire time the television was replaying it over and over. It was upsetting for the people in England as well as the U.S

[Geewiz]

I was feigning illness because I hated Mrs. Gladys' 3rd grade glass. I was home watching Bozo's circus when network news broke in. What was more interesting was the reaction of my grandfather's friend the following weekend. We were connected to the Chicago Outfit and my grandfather said to Lenny, isn't Jack Ruby one of your guys? I never saw Lenny get that angry and grab my grandfather by his lapel and said, "Moeie,never bring that up again." I grandfather went pale and from that moment we never talked about it again.

[John_W]

When Bobby Kennedy was shot in 1968, I was at home with our two month old daughter who had been born 3 days after Martin Luther King was shot. What an April and June of 1968.

When Bobby was killed June 6, 1968 that was my high school graduation day from St. Petersburg High. Unlike with his brother JFK, which I remember that day vividly, I can't remember any of the circumstances of Bobby being shot. I guess it was from going through the cap and gown ceremony and all the excitement that afternoon that I didn't have time to realize what had just happened.



.

[Villages PL]

I was working at Black Rock Manufacturing when the shop supervisor came out of his office and started walking through the shop announcing, in a loud voice, that the president had been shot. Everyone was stunned to hear it.

[swrinfla]

I was having lunch with my uncle, at the high-rise dining room location of the St. Louis downtown of the Media Club!

It took a long time to realize exactly what had happened! Indeed, it was a number of years later that we came to know how much we had missed!

SWR
:beer3:

[Irish Rover]

I was Officer of the Day at HQ 78th Arty, Ft Hood, Texas. Needless to say that was an extremely busy and sad day. We thought we would be heading to Cuba.

[Pat_RI]

I wasn't even a twinkle in my father's eye. I thought JFK was an airport.

[Bavarian]

I was in Sixth Grade. Sister did not tell us anything, just acted shaken up, finished day. Walking to train station to go home, I passed Chestnut Hill Hospital, saw the flag at half-mast. Thought, maybe the President was killed. When I got to station, the kids who got rides to the station told me about it. Went home and my mother had it on TV.
I think we watched a different network which did not cover Oswald's shooting live.

[tv2016]

In a Vermont 1-room school, all 8 grades. I was in the 8th grade, in reading class at the front of the room. The teacher's husband walked in with a radio and put it on the teacher's desk. We listened and learned he had died.

In the next few days, I remember talking with my friends about it. We thought that Russia would take us over - no kidding - it was in the middle of the cold war and we always heard Air Force jets scrambling out of Plattsburgh NY AFB and wondered what was happening.